Welsh Liberal Democrats

Mark Williams welcomes Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill

May 27, 2011 3:26 PM

Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, Mark Williams, has welcomed the publication of a draft Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill, saying that it will provide protection for farmers and producers in Ceredigion and across Wales.

The Bill is designed to enforce compliance with the groceries supply chain code of practice and prevent abuses of power throughout the supply chain. It will create a formal body to act as arbitrator in disputes between retailers and suppliers, as well as investigate allegations of breaches of the groceries code.

Mark Williams has campaigned for an adjudicator for a number of years, and in February he urged Wales Office Minister David Jones to push for swift action on the Bill.

Commenting, Mark Williams said:

"I have been campaigning for this action for a number of years, so it is excellent to see that this Government is taking action to protect our producers.

"I know that many feel that supermarkets have used their dominant position to avoid giving farmers a fair deal, and we need an independent body to respond to complaints.

"It is vital that this body has the powers it needs to take action, as producers need to have confidence that if they make a complaint they will not be singled out."